FA release statement explaining Thomas Tuchel appointment following backlash from England legends

The Football Association has confirmed the appointment of Thomas Tuchel as the next permanent England head coach, and the selection has divided both fans and pundits.

Former Chelsea head coach Tuchel returns to English football, having previously won the Champions League with the Blues in 2021.

The former UEFA and FIFA Coach of the Year has signed an 18-month contract with England and will start on January 1 following an 'extensive recruitment search', which began following Gareth Southgate's decision to step down as manager after Euro 2024 – where the Three Lions finished as runners-up to Spain.

Several other candidates were interviewed for the role before Tuchel signed his contract on October 8, with the announcement delayed until Wednesday morning to avoid distraction around the team during the current international break.

A league winner in both France and Germany with PSG and Bayern Munich respectively, Tuchel is tasked with leading England to their first major trophy since the 1966 World Cup – with his first tournament coming at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

"I am very proud to have been given the honour of leading the England team," Tuchel said, in a statement released by the FA on Wednesday.

"I have long felt a personal connection to the game in this country, and it has given me some incredible moments already. To have the chance to represent England is a huge privilege, and the opportunity to work with this special and talented group of players is very exciting."

Tuchel's announcement has already proved to be controversial, with some questioning the appointment of a foreign manager to take charge of the national side.

Harry Redknapp, who himself was linked with the England job during his managerial career, told Sky Sports News: "I'm very patriotic, I think we should have an English manager but the field was very small to choose from because Englishman don't get jobs managing in the Premier League very often now.

"All the clubs are owned by foreign owners and they bring a foreign manager in."

Former England striker Dean Ashton shared Redknapp's views and claimed he was 'underwhelmed' by the appointment.

Ashton told Sky Sports News: "I don't particularly enjoy watching a Thomas Tuchel team. I think it's more of a defensive structure. Yes, he won the Champions League with Chelsea, but Frank Lampard had got them through the group stages and [Manchester City manager] Pep Guardiola picked a totally bizarre team in the final."

Thomas Tuchel has been appointed England boss (Image: Getty)

Meanwhile, former England international Danny Mills said on Sky Sports News: "Let's be honest, there will be a lot of people out there, the fact he's German will be an issue.

"In an ideal world I would like an English manager in charge of the England team but if there isn't a good enough candidate to do that, you've got to go further afield."

Meanwhile, former England star Alan Shearer said on The Rest Is Football podcast: "We need a trophy - it's as simple as that. We need a manager who can deliver that.

"There's no doubt [Tuchel] has an incredible CV, but this is going to be a very different test for him. It's a bold move from the FA, there's no doubt about it."

The FA has responded to criticism of Tuchel's appointment, with chief executive Mark Bullingham explaining why the German has been given the role.

"Fundamentally we wanted to hire a coaching team to give us the best possible chance of winning a major tournament, and we believe they will do just that. Thomas and the team have a single-minded focus on giving us the best possible chance to win the World Cup in 2026," said Bullingham.

Bullingham also thanked Lee Carsley for his time as interim manager and confirmed the former Everton midfielder would eventually be stepping back down to his previous role with the England U21 side, although he could yet remain in charge of the senior side for the November international break.

"I would like to thank Lee for stepping up and doing everything we asked of him – he is a very talented coach and a major part of our England pathway. He will now focus on retaining the U21 EURO title in the summer," added Bullingham.